New Year – New Puppy: 5 Tips for New Puppy Owners

The Christmas puppy… so cute and sweet and cuddly. Well, that’s until puppy gets curious about you and sinks those razor sharp puppy teeth in your skin. Then they grow so fast. Before you know it, they are destroying everything within reach. That Christmas puppy that was so cuddly, is now faster than you are and running out the front door and not looking back. Then there are the piles and puddles from accidents that your family members keep stepping in.

Here are some tips to help you bring peace and happiness back to your home.

Tip #1 Freedom is Your Enemy
Puppies explore the world with their teeth and mouths. Most every item in your house is a wrong choice. Use crates, gates, and tethers to improve your odds. It will also help you with housebreaking.

Tip #3 Establish Appropriate Rules
It may be adorable watching your kids and your puppy rolling around on the floor together and watching your pup climb all over them, but will that be appropriate later? If your dog is going to grow up to be 80 pounds, that is definitely not a behavior you want to encourage or reward. Even if your dog is a small breed, as an adult, he may not consider this a playful activity. This also applies to jumping on people and furniture. Consider your house rules carefully.

Tip #4 Socialize Safely and Carefully
Socializing your dog is crucial starting at 8 weeks old. The prime socialization period is until 5 months old. There’s much work to be done in that short period. For more than half of that time, your dog will not be fully immunized. Be careful to only socialize around other animals of good health. Socialization is not just exposure to novel items. Every socialization experience must be pleasant and fun for your puppy. The goal is for your puppy to feel confident in many situations. Pushing your puppy too hard or exposing him to scary things could be traumatic and impact his emotional well being.

Tip #5 Enlist the Assistance of a Qualified Professional Dog Trainer on Day One
Many bad and dangerous behaviors that can be prevented easily with the help of a dog trainer. Why wait for bad behaviors to occur? Resource guarding prevention, housebreaking protocols, impulse control, and proper socialization are not covered in most basic obedience classes. Hiring a qualified dog training professional for even one lesson will help you get started on the right paw.

Looking for a top notch dog trainer in Greater Fort Lauderdale? Please call Oh Behave Dog Training at 954-587-2711 now for a phone consultation.